Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1887-06-25
cANARIAN eoFIo.
A Simple Article Of Food Possessing supe-
rinr NnnriahIng Qualities.

A Simple Article Of Food Possessing snpe-
rior NourishinE Qualities
On a recent visit TO the Canary Is
lands, one of the first things to attract
mynotice was the good development and
fine personal appearance of the COM
mon people. l afterward found that
travellers are generally impressed in
the same manner on their first visit to
the Canaries. If they have previously
visited the Spanish Peninsula, they are
apt 10 contrast the native ~Spaniards
with their Canarian relatives, always
in favor of the latter, whose greater
height and better bodily forms are very
evident. This superiority may be due,
in a certain degree, to the admiNture
of the Spanish blood with that of the
Guauche race, which waS found in pos
session, when, in ll40, the Spanish I'M
dertook the conquest of the Canarian
Archipelago. 1t required more than
fifty years for the purpose. and not I'M
Ill. to the utmost efforts of Spain, then
in the height of her power, the treach-
cry of four native Kings had been
added, did all the seven islands come
under Spanish rule. The old chroni-
clers are fond of describing the mild
dispositions of the GuancheS, their tall,
manly figures. and noble bearing in
time of peace, as well as their great
strength and valor when lighting to
preserve their ancient liberty.
Even the women took part against
the invaders, and proved themselves, in
daring and proves, no cal antagon-
lists. One woman is especially men,
toned who rushed upon an advancing
column, seized the foremost soldier and
fled up the mountain, bearing her VIC
tim as if he had been a child, outstrip-
ping her pursuers, till, coming to a
precipicc, she leapcd down and both
were dashed to pieces.
The conqucrors not only mingled
their blood with the conquered, as
happens with the Latin races, but they
adopted many of their customs, some
of which are preserved to the present
time. Perhaps the most important of
these is in relation to their food, the
principal article of which is of Guanche
origin.
Ihave alluded to the excellent bodily
development and proportions of the
modern Canarians, and to the testi-
mony left by the old %chroniclers to
the still fine characteristics of the an
cient Guanches, who are indeed de-
scribed as maryels of bodily strength.
beauty and agility, because these facts
have an important bearing on the
question of their food. As there can be
no such bodily growth, strength and
activity, as is described as belonging
to these people, without superior nour
ishment, it follows that the food used
by the Guanches, and adopted and still
almost exclusively used by the present
inhabitants, must be highly nutritious.
This article, so evidently important,
is the gofo. There is nothing myste.
rious about it, for gofo is simply flour
made from any of the cereals by parch.
ing or roasting before grinding. The
Guanches may have roasted theiI
wheat, barley, etc, by the ready
method of first heating stones, on
which or among which the the grain
was afterward placed. As to that
there are no precise accounts, but well.
shaped grinding-stones are plentifully
preserved. At present goiio is pre-
pared by roasting the grain in Il broad
shallow earthen dish, owe a charcoal
fire. 1t is kept constantly stirred, tt
prevent burning. One can hardly pas.
through ahamlctor village without wit
Messing some stage of the preparation
of gotio. The grain is first CAREFUL,
picked Overland all Impurities removed
The processes frequently take place il
front of or Just within the always opcl
door, giving the traveller ample oppor
tunity to see all steps of the prepare
ton. The grinding is done at the win
mills, which abound everywhere. Tn
t roasted grain is ground to a very fin
, flour, when it becomes gofio. Afte
grinding it is ready for immediate use
| When it is to be eaten, milk, soup, O
any suitable fluid may be mixed with
= any thing, in fact, to give it suficier
consistency to be conveyed into til
mouth. Being already cooked, it +,
quires no further preparation befor
eating.
Y Ultimately maize was introduced il
1 TO the islands, and soon became an a
t ticle of general cultivation, particular
t on the Island of Grand Canary, wher
gofio from it is the staple article
II food for the laboring population, {
b that from wheat or wheat mixed wit
h maize is in Tencriffc, wheat being MOI
l. largely grown in the latter islam,
IS gofio is also made from barley, and c
pecially in Fuerteventura. 1t is al,
" made from Spanish beans; but tn
kind is not used alone, but to mix
10 the proportion of about one-fourth
II three-fourths of wheat, barley, or mai
l. goiio, as some prefer. Wheat and COZ
II gofio, mixed in equal proportions,
tx very much used, and is preferred
ly many to either article alone.-Popul
ie Science Monthly.
rs -
al 49, ~,,-N-~